KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Last November, Missourians voted in favor of Proposition A, which increased the state’s minimum wage and gives employees earned paid time off. As a house bill that would repeal the earned sick pay portion of the proposition makes its way through the Capitol, several workers rights groups organized rallies across the state, including in Kansas City.
Dozens gathered outside Oddly Correct Coffee at the corner of E 42nd and Troost Thursday afternoon in support of the proposition, including Fran Marion, a fast food worker and leader with the Missouri Workers Center. She says wishes she had paid sick leave while her children were growing up, but is happy her now grown children will soon no longer have to make the difficult decisions she had to. One of her children has a son who had to undergo open heart surgery at just three weeks old.
“If I had paid sick days, I wouldn’t have to worry about how my rents going to get paid, how I’m going to get food on the table, and I would be able to be with my sick child,” said Marion. “With paid sick days going into effect next month, it brings me comfort in knowing that Ray can take time off without losing a paycheck and have to suffer over choosing to keep a roof over their head or being home taking care of my grandson.”
Missouri Jobs with Justice, Missouri Workers Center, Stand Up KC, business owners, workers, and more rallied outside the coffee shop, including owner Mike Schroeder. He shared his shop’s success after raising the wages of workers years ago and encourages other businesses owners who may be unsure to keep an open mind.
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“It was a gamble, but it worked,” said Schroeder. “People were happier, they did better work, our customers were happier, we saw a 20% increase in revenue after enacting living wages and paid sick leave.”
After the rally, the group took to the streets, going to businesses in Kansas City and speaking with owners to remind them of the changes coming next month. Employers must provide their employees with written notice of their earned paid sick leave rights by next Tuesday, April 15. Earned paid sick leave takes effect May 1.
This comes as a bill is currently making its way through the state capitol that looks to repeal the paid sick time mandate. House Bill 567 has already passed the House and is currently in the Senate. A lawsuit by Missouri business groups in the state wants the results of Proposition A thrown out.
The state Supreme Court heard oral arguments last month, with those who filed the suit requesting a decision preferably by April 15, but at the latest by May 1.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) – It’s been a little over one week since Missouri’s lawmakers called it quits for the year, but that doesn’t mean they’re all happy with what was accomplished, or what was not accomplished.
Artificial intelligence continues to spread into every area of our lives, and it’s largely unchecked by government regulations.
In Missouri, 100 bills were passed this year, but none of them regulate the use of artificial intelligence. Over a dozen ideas on how to regulate AI were presented by lawmakers, but all the bills died before the end of the regular legislative session.
State lawmakers cannot explore AI or data center regulations again until the new legislative session starts in January 2027.
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AI regulations are popular with Missouri voters. Only 16% of Missouri voters polled by YouGov and SLU believe recent AI innovations had a positive effect on society. Regulating artificial intelligence is also popular with both parties.
Bolivar Republican Rep. Christopher Warwick wants to see protections for children.
“My heart is is to make sure that we’re protecting our kids. We want to protect Missourians in general, but when the AI starts affecting our kids,” Warwick said.
While St. Louis Democratic Sen. Doug Beck says we need to make it clear what is and isn’t AI.
“That can be very scary, and some of the things they can do with it, you don’t know what’s real and what isn’t real,” Beck said.
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The explosion of AI is leading to more and more data centers, including many projects here in Missouri. Though many in Missouri are currently fighting to keep data centers from their neighborhoods, their growth is something Gov. Mike Kehoe appreciates.
“As President Trump said, AI is the space race of our time. And certainly Missouri wants to be involved in that race and wants to continue to lead,” Kehoe said at an event in Montgomery County to celebrate a new Google data center.
President Trump issued an executive order telling states to rely on federal AI regulations, but Congress is on a summer vacation without having passed any AI bills.
The executive order President Trump put out says funding for rural broadband could be at risk if state lawmakers don’t align with his plan. A Utah lawmaker was told by the Trump administration that his bill doesn’t fit into their AI plan.
The executive order reads, “United States AI companies must be free to innovate without cumbersome regulation. But excessive State regulation thwarts this imperative. First, State-by-State regulation by definition creates a patchwork of 50 different regulatory regimes that makes compliance more challenging, particularly for start-ups.”
Two Affinia Healthcare employees were recognized for their work in community health during the recent Community Health Workers Association of Missouri conference.
Candace Henderson, Affinia’s director of community health, received the organization’s Individual and Community Capacity Building Award after being nominated in eight categories. Henderson leads a team of community health workers who connect residents with health screenings and other services.
Naila Hudson, a community health worker with Affinia, received the Individual and Community Assessment Award. Her duties include coordinating mobile mammography events, conducting health screenings and assisting with the organization’s food pantry.
